Soft Sunlight
by forever and three more seconds
Summary: Set in the Marauders' third year, centered mostly around Remus/Sirius pairing, but also including James, Peter, Lily, Severus, Andromeda, Lucius, Rudolphus, Narcissa and Bellatrix. Contains mentions of het and slash, plus slash kissing and adult language.
1. 1 Travelling

SOFT SUNLIGHT

Summary: Set in 1973, the Hogwarts' Marauders' third year, this multi-chaptered fiction develops and expands upon the framework of what we are told happens at this part of history… and what we aren't.

Warnings: Adult language, Homosexual relationship, Heterosexual relationship,

Main Pairing: Sirius/Remus

Other Characters: James, Peter, Lily/Severus, Andromeda, Bellatrix/Rudolphus, Lucius/Narcissa.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the twisted imagination and the ridiculously slow laptop I am typing this onto.

A/N: This was my first attempt at writing slash. It isn't amazing, but I am proud of it, and I would appreciate constructive criticism if it is truly helpful and not abusive.

Chapter 1: Travelling

"Hi, guys."

It was James and Peter. Naturally, James was the one yelling down the train to Sirus and Remus, who came down the train to meet them, Sirius kicking Severus as he passed. As he reached the others, he distinctly heard Lily Evans' voice.

"Total cowards. And they're in _Gryffindor_. Ignore them, Sev."

"What'd you do over the summer then?"

"Slouched around a bit. You know what my family's like."

James grimaced sympathetically at Sirius before answering Remus.

"Not much. I tried not to do magic for the first week, then read the detail of the Trace and nicked Dad's wand. Worked a treat!"

"That is actually illegal. According to Clause 19, Subsection B of the Internat…"

"Oh, give over Rem. Come and find a compartment instead."

They had just succeeded in turfing some first years out of the best compartment when Lucius Malfoy, and entourage, turned up.

"As you can see, I am Head Boy and with me are the Head Girl and two prefects. It is my strong suggestion that you are not in this compartment anymore."

There he stopped, for the four concerned were no longer there.

***

"What it is to be Head Boy."

"Yeah, but have you told these two how we got the top jobs? It's a great story."

"That it is, Bella, that it is. You tell it."

Narcissa was hanging on their every word, and Rudolphus was failing to conceal his admiration and obvious love for Bellatrix.

"Well, Mother and Li's dad went round to see Dippy, with bags of gold no less, and bullied the bat into giving us two the top jobs, and appointing you two as Slytherin prefects, as gold reasoned that we weren't prefects, we were Heads, and so there were no _prefects_ for us. Luckily for him, gold did it without the spells."

"Nice one, Li. Your pa must be rich."

"No, Rud, just well off." returned Lucius, and Rudolphus subsided, crushed.

***

Meanwhile, further down the train, a very different style of conversation was taking place.

"Can I join you? Everyone else is being shit-ass prigs."

It was Andromeda, talking to her cousin Sirius while his three friends looked on in wonder. Sirius hated all of his relations.

"Oh, guys this is Anni. She's in Ravenclaw, and she's going out with a muggleborn, so she's in the same Black Outcast boat as me – the only other sane one of us I've met. Anni, this is James, Remus and Peter."

"Cool."

"What were you saying, Rem?"

"That Jem was breaking Clause 19, Subsection B of the International…"

"No, after that."

"He was stealing someone else's wand to perform underage magic? That's a really serious breach of the law. The owner of the wand could be fined…"

"…or have his wand removed for an indefinite time period." finished Remus, smiling at Andromeda.

"Okay, enough already." interjected Sirius. "You two can have a nice cosy chat sometimes, but not now. I meant what you said just two seconds ago, about the homework I didn't know existed."

"We had HOMEWORK? Oh my god, I so did totally not do any homework over the summer. What was it?"

"I've done mine, but I think its all wrong. Its here."

Peter brought out a set of sheets that looked like a rat had written them and then had them for breakfast.

"Oh give over Pit, that's never your _homework_."

Remus had slipped into the more informal language of his friends by this time.

"I know a spell to improve that. _Homarbeit reparo_."

Andromeda had pulled out her wand.

"Thank you." squeaked Peter.

The rest of the journey passed much in this way, Sirius and James copying Remus' homework, changing into their robes and other small activities the order of the day.

They still could not perform magic, although only Andromeda's threat of docking 100 House Points if he did stopped Sirius from cursing Severus as he walked past their compartment.

****


	2. 2 First Night

SOFT SUNLIGHT

Summary: Set in 1973, the Hogwarts' Marauders' third year, this multi-chaptered fiction develops and expands upon the framework of what we are told happens at this part of history… and what we aren't.

Warnings: Adult language, Homosexual relationship, Heterosexual relationship,

Main Pairing: Sirius/Remus

Other Characters: James, Peter, Lily/Severus, Andromeda, Bellatrix/Rudolphus, Lucius/Narcissa.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the twisted imagination and the ridiculously slow laptop I am typing this onto.

A/N: This was my first attempt at writing slash. It isn't amazing, but I am proud of it, and I would appreciate constructive criticism if it is truly helpful and not abusive.

Chapter 2: First Night

That night, the four boys were talking in their dormitories. The first night back feast was over, the first night back pillow fight had finished, and all the other boys were fast asleep. After a while, the talk drifted round to the problem of the werewolf.

"The only way to do it is Animagi." Thus Remus, after careful consideration of all the ideas (not including Peter's 'why don't we dress up as wolves'). After a long explanation, and a near debate with Sirius over the pros and cons of being a flea, they all agreed to his plan as being the only workable suggestion.

"We'll ask Anni to do it, she's seventh year. Night everyone." And Sirius left James' bed, where they had all been congregated, and stretched out in his own.

"Yeah, night."

"See y'all tomorrow."

***

Depths below this happy conversation, four very different friends had met in the new, huge, triple-bed bedroom that was a 'new privilege' for the Head Boy. Lucius was stretched out in the king-sized bed, Narcissa and Bellatrix on either side, (above the duvet) and Rudolphus sitting at their feet. They were discussing new rules and regimes to crush the first years, take points off Gryffindor and generally be evil in their positions of power.

***

Along the map this time, and Severus Snape was taking advantage of the fact that he could use magic and that the rest of the dorm was asleep to do his homework, fine tune some spells he was working on in the margins of his textbook and to heal his numerous bruises from when Tobias Snape had got his mother drunk enough that her magic couldn't stop him beating the shit out of them both.

***

Far above that sad scene, in Ravenclaw Tower this time, Andromeda was redoing her homework now that she could think again – the stress levels and compressing atmosphere at Number Twelve were not great helps to getting the right answers – and thinking over what she thought so far about her cousin's friends.

'Poor Peter's incredibly shy, and not much more can be said; Remus is quite cute and does his homework right; and James has the same laid back attitude as Si. They make great friends, better than this lot of paired, stuck-up, lickass shits we call _people_.'

****


	3. 3 In The Dungeons

SOFT SUNLIGHT

Summary: Set in 1973, the Hogwarts' Marauders' third year, this multi-chaptered fiction develops and expands upon the framework of what we are told happens at this part of history… and what we aren't.

Warnings: Adult language, Homosexual relationship, Heterosexual relationship,

Main Pairing: Sirius/Remus

Other Characters: James, Peter, Lily/Severus, Andromeda, Bellatrix/Rudolphus, Lucius/Narcissa.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the twisted imagination and the ridiculously slow laptop I am typing this onto.

A/N: This was my first attempt at writing slash. It isn't amazing, but I am proud of it, and I would appreciate constructive criticism if it is truly helpful and not abusive.

Chapter 3: In The Dungeons

When approached later that week on the subject, Anni agreed to help them become Animagi, and asked them what animals they would like to turn into.

"You need to be big enough to keep a werewolf under control but, wait, isn't there a tree to get past? One of you ought to be able to get past that."

"No, not a flea, Si."

"You wanted to be a flea? Oh, priceless!"

Sirius shrugged. Anni shook with silent laughter, but stopped abruptly at the sight of three Ravenclaw girls, also from seventh year, coming down the corridor.

"Oh hell's teeth. It's _Maria_, _Jocelyn_ and _Elizabeth_, and as it's not _ladylike_ to talk with third years, I'll have to go and be _Andromeda_ and _converse politely_ on topics such as the most recent homework or the difficulty of NEWTs. It was _pleasurable_ holding a conversation with you, _gentlemen_, but my _sorority_ summons me."

However, despite the sudden change, Sirius was sure she muttered 'shit and fuck and bugger the assholes'. He laughed. Anni was definitely cool.

***

"What are you laughing at? 10 points from Gryffindor. All of you have your shirts untucked, another 15. You ought to be outside, another 15."

Bellatrix was coming down the corridor.

"eek" muttered Peter.

"Peter's not got his shirt untucked," pointed out Remus.

"You're inside," answered James.

"My tie's loose, my top button's not done up, I was laughing because your _twin_ isn't half the asshole you are, we have no intention of going outside, you look like a prostitute and I'm seriously thinking about running away from our family, _cousin_. Was there anything else guys?"

This last to his three friends, who were standing there with admiring expressions.

"No, I think you got everything, mate."

"kk. See ya, Bellatrix. Come on."

Then the four of them ran from the still frozen Bellatrix before she could do anything…

…right into the arms of Lucius Malfoy. He had witnessed the scene and was not pleased.

"Pettigrew, you seem to be blameless. Run along and try not to be influenced by these three again. Lupin, Potter, detention. Professor Slughorn has been looking for someone to catalogue the poisonous substances in his cabinet. You will do that tomorrow night, and 50 points from Gryffindor. Leave."

***

Eight o'clock, Saturday evening. Five hours since Lucius Malfoy had caught Sirius. The three Marauders had finally come up with a plan. Remus was to stay behind, to do homework and generally cover for Peter and James. Those two would try and find (and rescue) Sirius. This was the sticking point in their plans. Never mind, reasoned James. They would walk around with great bravado and a theme tune, poke around in the dungeons, make it up as they went along and generally have a good time.

"So what about Si?" was Peter's response to this.

"Oh, yeah. I forgot we had to _do_ something."

"Let's just go anyway. Come on Jem. See ya Rem."

***

Meanwhile, locked up in a dungeon, Sirius was considering things. It could be worse. His wand could have been taken off him instead of hung from the ceiling, probably to annoy him. Bellatrix had obviously forgotten that he could jump the staircase in one. It could have been better, however. Once he had his wand, the dungeon could have not been spell proof. The only thing he could do was conjure an axe, and hack at the door. The work would have gone better if the door hadn't been a metre thick. He was through it though, and could see out. Then he heard someone humming a spy tune he was sure he'd heard before.

***

James was walking with an exaggerated stealthiness that was anything but inconspicuous, and humming the marauder theme tune they'd made up the year before. Peter was walking along behind, with a slightly deferential and scared look and with the attitude of a first year. No-one paid him any attention as they laughed at James. Unheeding this, they rounded a corner and saw a door with a crack in it, but otherwise a dead end. As they watched, the crack suddenly got bigger and they saw the glint of an axe.

"D'you think its Si?" Peter asked dubiously. However, muttered cursing issued from behind the door at that point.

"Definitely Si. Hey, Si! You in there? How you getting out?"

"Guess, you idiots." He chucked the axe through the gap just big enough to admit it. "This shitting door's a metre thick."

James set to work, still humming the theme tune in which Sirius joined and, after a look around to check it was deserted, so did Peter.

Eventually even Sirius could get through the gap in the door. They, after some consideration, repaired the door and destroyed the axe again.

****


	4. 4 Reactions

SOFT SUNLIGHT

Summary: Set in 1973, the Hogwarts' Marauders' third year, this multi-chaptered fiction develops and expands upon the framework of what we are told happens at this part of history… and what we aren't.

Warnings: Adult language, Homosexual relationship, Heterosexual relationship,

Main Pairing: Sirius/Remus

Other Characters: James, Peter, Lily/Severus, Andromeda, Bellatrix/Rudolphus, Lucius/Narcissa.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the twisted imagination and the ridiculously slow laptop I am typing this onto.

A/N: This was my first attempt at writing slash. It isn't amazing, but I am proud of it, and I would appreciate constructive criticism if it is truly helpful and not abusive.

Chapter 4: Reactions And Potion Makers

"I know you want to leave him in there longer, Bella, but its six in the morning. He's been in there for fourteen hours, and if we leave it longer, well, you know how everyone wakes up at seven round here. All we need is a couple of early risers and, who knows what the law is like?"

Lucius and Bellatrix rounded the corner and stopped at the door. The latter lowered her wand to point at the floor.

"_Reductus nepas_." Then, to the door; "_Advancemo decendus_."

It started, slid towards her, then shrank, leaving a clear view of the room beyond…which was empty.

"Shit."

It came from both of them.

"Let's go back. Should we tell the others?"

"We'd better."

Above them, an eagle that no one had noticed blinked, spread its wings and started to fly back.

***

Severus was walking quickly, head down, trying not to be noticed. _Why_ did James hate him? It was he, Severus, who should hate James, who had everything while he had nothing. Money, looks, girls, friends… James had them all. Well not quite. Lily was his friend. Suddenly something clicked. James' behaviour around Lily, her careful avoiding of the subject, all fell into place. James liked Lily, and she…she…she didn't like _him_ did she. She couldn't. But, said the small voice of reason in his mind, who else could she like? He had long reconciled himself to the fact that she didn't like him, that was a long buried wound, but she was his friend, so she couldn't like James but she avoided the topic and so he couldn't bring it up and what if she did like him, what would he do and…

He suddenly realised he was walking past his common room. Relieved of an excuse, he stopped thinking and went in, pulling a book out of his bag and sitting down, to all appearances immersed in Advanced Potion Making, despite the fact it was the sixth year book Lily and he were working on.

***

Remus was nominated to update Anni on the latest events, on the assumption that it would look suspicious if all of them went.

"I already know about Si being locked up, and axing through a door to get out. You should have seen Lucius' face!"

"How did you know what happened?" But Anni wasn't giving away any secrets.

"What about Animagi?"

"I'll come to your common room tonight. What's the password?"

"Secrecy is never the way."

****


	5. 5 Secret Meetings

SOFT SUNLIGHT

Summary: Set in 1973, the Hogwarts' Marauders' third year, this multi-chaptered fiction develops and expands upon the framework of what we are told happens at this part of history… and what we aren't.

Warnings: Adult language, Homosexual relationship, Heterosexual relationship,

Main Pairing: Sirius/Remus

Other Characters: James, Peter, Lily/Severus, Andromeda, Bellatrix/Rudolphus, Lucius/Narcissa.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the twisted imagination and the ridiculously slow laptop I am typing this onto.

A/N: This was my first attempt at writing slash. It isn't amazing, but I am proud of it, and I would appreciate constructive criticism if it is truly helpful and not abusive.

Chapter 5: Secret Meetings And Long Speeches

Secrecy was, however, the order of the day when Sirius felt a tap on his shoulder and stared. He was waiting up for Anni, the others having stayed up all last night planning how to rescue him while he slept.

"It's me, you idiot."

"Anni?" It sounded like her. As Sirius squinted at the place her voice was coming from, he thought he discerned a shadow, and then she dropped the strong Disillusionment charm she wore, and he could see her.

"Where are the others?"

"Asleep, the rebels. Wait a sec."

Sirius crossed the common room in three fluid bounds and disappeared up the stairs. A moment later he was back, dragging three sleepy creatures behind him.

***

"Have you decided what animals to all be?" Anni asked them.

"Something small, like a mouse." Peter suggested.

"A horse, or a lion," interjected James.

"A cat." Sirius contributed.

"Cat's too small," argued Anni

"Not a lion." Remus countered.

"What's wrong with a cat?" Sirius asked.

"What's wrong with a lion?" James put in.

"Lion's too big," answered Anni.

"Is a mouse too small?" Peter worried.

"How does it work, once we've finished arguing?" Remus asked pointedly.

Anni pulled out her wand, and pointed it at her right wrist. She hesitated, then jumped upwards, becoming fluid and smaller, somehow. She kept going, higher and higher, and her body was smaller and her wings were wider. As she was about to hit the ceiling, she stopped, and the four on the ground blinked. In her place was an eagle, which soared gracefully down to them again, her wand held between her beak. She placed it carefully down and fixed them with beady eyes. Remus' mouth fell open in shock, and James and Sirius also looked overwhelmed by the power and speed displayed in the transformation.

Unpredictably, Peter was the first to gain the confidence to break the silence. His voice was strong and he was less shy than he had been with Anni ever before, the hush gone from his heart.

***

"I know how that works! I actually know something! You choose a focus point, send the spell towards it and, only its not really a spell, its more of a willpower intention thing, but you aim at the focus point and imagine yourself as the animal then you just fade from one to the other and you are the animal you imagined yourself as for an indefinite choice of return time period and then to change back you have to just imagine it and it works but you have to have your wand or you come back naked and you can make the change permanent by wanting to for three days and having one other animagus bless you while you are in animal form and a surprising number of people decide to make the change permanent even though most of them still want to be able to talk and after a length of time you start to think more like the animal like there was a hundred and two year old wizard who was a tortoise and we only know he was a tortoise because his great grandson, who owned him, told us and we used a spell to determine it, he thought like a slightly more intelligent than most tortoise so if they don't want mind deterioration and want the gift of speech back or want to use magic again they come to a place where it is researched and that's where dad works, in the only one in Britain, and that's why I'm shy, because I don't speak to many other humans but I'm fine around animals because there are forty seven various animals at our house, its huge, and most of them can speak and some can use magic and all of them know exactly who they are and live almost normal lives as their respective animals and that's how I know so much about animagi even though I've never seen one transform either way before and very rarely have I seen one who wasn't permanent because as far as we can discover the changes can only be performed when the change is made permanent and all of the people at home have had changes made and I've said so much I'm almost dying of lack of oxygen but I'm suddenly brave and I don know if it'll last so I'm getting it all out now before I get scared again and that is definitely the most I have ever said to someone even if they were an animal and I shall only be fit for bed after this and but I am so proud of myself and I'm definite of what I want to be, I want to be a rat."

***

There was a long minute's silence. Predictably, this time, James spoke first.

"Buggering hell, Pit, that's the most anyone's ever said ever!"

His words awoke the rest, for no one had moved during the whole speech.

"One slight bit was wrong though. I can speak without a permanent change."

****


	6. 6 New Forms

SOFT SUNLIGHT

Summary: Set in 1973, the Hogwarts' Marauders' third year, this multi-chaptered fiction develops and expands upon the framework of what we are told happens at this part of history… and what we aren't.

Warnings: Adult language, Homosexual relationship, Heterosexual relationship,

Main Pairing: Sirius/Remus

Other Characters: James, Peter, Lily/Severus, Andromeda, Bellatrix/Rudolphus, Lucius/Narcissa.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the twisted imagination and the ridiculously slow laptop I am typing this onto.

A/N: This was my first attempt at writing slash. It isn't amazing, but I am proud of it, and I would appreciate constructive criticism if it is truly helpful and not abusive.

Chapter 6: New Forms, New Discoveries, New Identities

The three who were not facing the eagle turned, and the four made a picture of shock that nearly made her laugh.

"You can talk?"

Peter was suitably impressed, and the others even more so.

"How exactly do we do that?"

The eagle turned to Sirius, who had spoken, and asked who would like to go first. The three would-be Animagi looked at each other, sizing up the choice.

***

"I will."

Peter walked forwards, and sat cross-legged beside the fire, next to the eagle's armchair. Anni picked up her wand in her beak, there was a blue shimmer in the air and she appeared, as a human, fully clothed and gracefully lying back in her chair, not a hair out of place.

"Are you sure you know what you want to be?"

Peter assured her he was.

"Think about your animal; how you will look, how you will move, how you will sound when you squeak, anything. Think strongly of that animal and nothing else."

She tapped him on the head with her wand, as though knighting him, and muttered a spell. For what seemed a long time the common room was frozen how it was- Anni murmuring half made up words and strings of nonsense, Peter thinking determinedly of rats and the others trying not to breathe.

There was a ragged flash of silver, and Peter disappeared. In his place was a rat, that lay, dazed, for a few minutes before getting up with difficulty, all the muscles wrong. Eventually he seemed to have got the hang of moving, and started exploring the world from a rat's perspective. Peter then seemed to want to be himself again, and sat next to Anni's foot, trying to be a human again.

"Close your eyes, everyone. The flash will blind us, and then he'll come back naked."

Anni pointed the wand at the rat before closing her own eyes and turning him back. The predicted flash of jagged silver came, and Peter came back, lying twisted on the rug, clothes in shreds around him and hair in his face. Without opening her eyes, Anni repaired his clothes, and he scrabbled into them.

***

"That was awesome. Someone else's turn now."

James chuckled and slid forwards onto the rug.

"I want to be a stag." he said decisively, and closed his eyes.

The same procedure followed, but the coarse flash of green cleared to a majestic stag, which tossed its head and stamped round the common room, making them all laugh.

But even stags get bored, and he went to Anni to be changed back. They closed their eyes, and when James had slid into his newly repaired clothes, Sirius leant forwards.

"I'm not sure what to be." There was a serious note in his voice none had heard before, and they were silent while he thought about it.

"I know." he said suddenly, and came to sit down. His flash, when it came, was a smooth red, sliding over him like mist, before clearing to show a black, shaggy but perfectly happy… dog.

***

"A dog?"

It came in four different tones, four different voices but at one time.

The dog – Sirius – bounded over towards Remus, checked himself, and walked rather more sedately towards all four of them, before turning.

"Woof," he said happily, and they all laughed; Sirius' laugh like barking but still with his voice in it. There was something far more human in his expression too, Anni noted, and stored this information away for careful consideration later.

After a long time, he padded over to Anni and laid his head in her lap, clearly asking to be changed back. They all closed their eyes, but the red misty flash, while blinding all the others, seemed to force Remus' eyes open. Sirius, unlike the other two, came back, as with Anni, sitting back on the floor, not a hair out of place but still completely naked. Remus saw this, and the red only just kept out of his cheeks as he realized how attractive Sirius was. He had known for a long time that he was bisexual, but had never realized how much he had fancied Sirius. Then Anni repaired the clothes surrounding Sirius, and he sat up and put them on, smoothly but slowly, apparently lost in thought. Then he looked over at Remus who, not expecting it, only just shut his eyes in time and didn't dare open them again until Sirius spoke.

"That's so cool! I suddenly knew so much stuff I never knew, about… myself."

Anni, suspecting but saying nothing, looked at her watch, charmed so it would work within the grounds, and brought the time, 2 a.m, to the others' attention.

***

Holding Sirius back, she got straight to the point.

"What was it Si? I know something changed, so it's no use denying it. I want to know."

"You don't need to know."

"Do you know?"

Startled by this question, Sirius decided to tell her.

"I…thought …suddenly…realized…how…tell…others…think...but…straight."

Sirius seemed to have lost what he was trying to say. Something clicked in Anni's mind, and she told Sirius her suspicions. Wearily he agreed, and she promised not to tell, slipping from the common room as silently as she had come. Sirius made his way upstairs, and, in response to James, answered that Anni had wanted to tell him something.

***

"Well, something should be done to celebrate such a momentous occasion." pronounced James, and was obviously waiting for a response, but none came. Peter was still extra shy after his outburst, and Remus and Sirius were wrapped up in their own feelings.

"How about new nicknames? I'll be Proud, you can be Paddy, you can be Worm and you can be Nightwolf. Cool, or cool?"

He looked round expectantly, and Remus stirred himself out of his thoughts.

"Tell you what, make me moonlight or something. Moonwolf, perhaps."

"Ok, Rem. You're Moonwolf, Si is –"

"Padfoot," interjected the proposed owner of this name.

"Ok, Padfoot, Pit is Worm-for-a-tail, and I'm Proud." They dispersed, and went to bed after this, but from then on they tried to call each other by these nicknames, which eventually turned into Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs.

****


	7. 7 Three Encounters

SOFT SUNLIGHT

Summary: Set in 1973, the Hogwarts' Marauders' third year, this multi-chaptered fiction develops and expands upon the framework of what we are told happens at this part of history… and what we aren't.

Warnings: Adult language, Homosexual relationship, Heterosexual relationship,

Main Pairing: Sirius/Remus

Other Characters: James, Peter, Lily/Severus, Andromeda, Bellatrix/Rudolphus, Lucius/Narcissa.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the twisted imagination and the ridiculously slow laptop I am typing this onto.

A/N: This was my first attempt at writing slash. It isn't amazing, but I am proud of it, and I would appreciate constructive criticism if it is truly helpful and not abusive.

Chapter 7: Three Encounters And The Rest Of It

The next day harboured three encounters, one of which was pleasant and two of which were not, and all were made by third years.

***

The first, which was bad, was between James and Severus. Due to their subjects, Remus, Peter and Sirius were in Care of Magical Creatures first lesson on Monday, while James and Severus were in Charms and Lily in Arithmancy. At the end of the lesson Severus was leaving quickly, intent on getting more sleep in his free lesson next. James, leaning on a table next to the door, stuck out a foot and he went sprawling, dropping his books. The lack of sleep, the anger at everything, the ever nursed grievances, all burst the bubble of self calm and control Severus tried to live in.

He pulled out his wand, thought the spells, and James suddenly had purple hair, shoelaces tied together and shirt hanging off him as he hung upside down in the air. Severus ran off, gathering his books with another spell.

***

The next encounter was the nice one. Severus, waking from his free lesson, came out of the common room to find Lily, waiting for him.

"I heard about _James_."

"Yeah." He replied dully. This was it; she would tell him she liked James and not him.

"That was so cool! I heard it took Flitwick ten minutes to sort him out, and he's staying in the common room, and he needed taking down a peg or two. Apparently he fancies me! Stupid idiot – there are girls _dying_ to go out with him, and he picks one that thinks he's and idiot and is best friends with someone he dislikes."

Severus' heart soared, and Lily departed laughing for her next lesson.

***

The next encounter was the worst, and did not occur until bedtime. Both Sirius and Remus, but only Remus with any truth, went to bed early with the excuse they were tired, Remus adding he needed all his sleep with the full moon in two nights time. Sirius only went because he wanted to think about how to tell Remus- for he had to tell him- that he liked him. Both sat in silence for a time, then, all at once, Sirius was on his feet in front of Remus' bed and talking.

"Rem I mean Moony are you bi? Or gay?"

"What?.. I… You… Who… How… No… I mean… What?"

Remus fell back onto the bed, almost suffocating on all his thoughts and half started sentences. How did he find out? Why was he asking? Had he found out? Had he found out, and was he too? Or had he found out, but wasn't? Or, or…

Finally he found his tongue.

"Why do you want to know?" The words were arrogant, and he regretted them immediately. Sirius' face flicked, sad, offended, upset, angry, sad, impassive. He walked off, and pulled the drapes around his bed with an impressive amount of dignity.

_Shit._

Remus tossed and turned, but couldn't get to sleep all that night. Finally, he got up on the pretext of having a glass of water, but moved Sirius' hangings on the way; he couldn't stop himself. He caught a glimpse of the dark hair everywhere and the black eyes, but they locked onto his with a mournful expression that changed to blanks as they registered the subject of their gaze. Then he sat up, and pushed the hangings shut again, and Remus, all thoughts of a drink forgotten, went back slowly to his own bed, to fall into a troubled sleep of half remembered dreams through which Sirius weaved, loved but hating.

***

Luckily, they had no lessons sitting together the next day, Remus most often with Peter, Sirius with James. The following day carried on in the same vein, until after dinner, about seven, when James noticed Remus' state.

"Moon, you look way tired. Its full moon tomorrow night, you need some sleep."

It was true. His emotional, sleepless mindset was taking its toll, and coupled with the pre-moon stress that fell on him, Remus was all out by six thirty. Having no strength to argue or even resist, the werewolf trudged to his dormitory and fell fast asleep almost at once. The other three waited in the common room for Anni, who was coming at midnight that night.

Sure enough, a mutter of the password; "Truth and friendship wins," came, and the portrait hole opened to admit Anni, although only Sirius, expecting it, could discern where she was before she removed the Disillusionment charm hiding her from their eyes.

For five hours they worked, but finally all three could claim to be fledged Animagi, able to transform with their own power.

***

Sirius hung back, and gave Anni a quick update of his situation, finishing with: "So now, he ignores me but I've noticed he's really tired and I don't think he's sleeping well, so…"

The sentence trailed off; there was no need for an ending.

"It's hopeless and irrevocable, isn't it?"

"Uh-huh."

"I'll think about it. Full moon tomorrow? I'll be there okay, don't tell anyone else."

She left, and Sirius went up to the common room. The others were all asleep, and Sirius stayed a while at Remus, who he had checked last, and watched the boy sleep, calming himself.

****


	8. 8 Friday Evening

SOFT SUNLIGHT

Summary: Set in 1973, the Hogwarts' Marauders' third year, this multi-chaptered fiction develops and expands upon the framework of what we are told happens at this part of history… and what we aren't.

Warnings: Adult language, Homosexual relationship, Heterosexual relationship,

Main Pairing: Sirius/Remus

Other Characters: James, Peter, Lily/Severus, Andromeda, Bellatrix/Rudolphus, Lucius/Narcissa.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the twisted imagination and the ridiculously slow laptop I am typing this onto.

A/N: This was my first attempt at writing slash. It isn't amazing, but I am proud of it, and I would appreciate constructive criticism if it is truly helpful and not abusive.

Chapter 8: Friday Evening, Reported Shouting Matches And Slytherin Plots

Friday dawned, and with it the prospect of a full moon. As usually happened when he was tired, Dippet sent Dumbledore to give Remus the day off work (all the teachers knew of his 'condition'), and the werewolf retired to the dormitory for a day of sleep. However, now that he was no longer in danger of imminent collapse, his body refused to sleep, and he was again reduced to the state of dreaming without being asleep. Sirius…Sirius…

***

Sirius ran foul of his cousin again that day, and they had a frighteningly venomous shouting match, which ended only when Professor McGonagall turned up and docked 500 points from each house. Bellatrix stomped off to complain to her fellow Slytherins, but the thought of his house being in the minus numbers on points only held Sirius until they were in the common room, where he let out a yell. "I was way beating her. She was coming off worst; did you see her face when I started swearing? And before anyone starts in on the point situation, Anni can give us them back, for our… achievements. And McGonagall's face was the beast! When she started in on my _dear cousin_, I thought I would cheer!"

***

There was a relatively small audience; the entrance of a gleeful Sirius was the signal for all first to third years to scurry from the room with even fourth, fifth and some sixth years looking wary, or suddenly 'having to do something they'd just forgotten'. Even so, the stares of a dozen or so sixth and seventh years were enough to quieten even Sirius, and they withdrew to a corner to discuss transforming plans for the night.

"So, we can't transform inside, because stags aren't generally part of the decorations."

"And that means transforming outside? The flash would wake up half the school."

"Well, can't we use your invisibility cloak?"

"That flash would go through it. Besides, what price antlers through that?"

"We could go into the Shack as humans, then transform there."

"Agreed. Good idea, Worms."

"Yeah, that works. Nicely."

"Come on, it's time to wake up Moony. Night'll be down in half an hour."

They trooped up to the dormitory, and Sirius stood back while the other two woke the fourth Marauder and explained the plan.

***

"Hey, _Snivellus_."

It was James. God, that ignorant... thing. Hadn't he worked out that he, Severus, wouldn't be a good target? Hadn't he given up trying to get a reaction? At least Lily hated him. Severus smiled slightly at the thought, and didn't break pace as he avoided the four, a tricky job with them strung across the corridor. The next thing he knew, he had his wand out on instinct and the next thing he knew after that, he was simultaneously putting out the fire on his robes, shielding himself, trying to curse James but missing, and running away. James had come out best there.

***

The four friends had four emotions when they tumbled, laughing, onto the lawn. James, overflowing with happiness; they had found a new breach of the rules to follow. Peter, nervous and curious but pleased with himself. Sirius, laughing to keep up the image, but wrapped up in thoughts. Remus, tired from the stress and lack of sleep, not even trying to hide it.

***

"We need to do something about those four." So, Lucius Malfoy, to his fellow Slytherins, Narcissa, Bellatrix and Rudolphus.

"I have a suggestion." All turned to Narcissa, who was the quietest of them all, following in her sister's great shadow and rarely having her own opinion.

Confident despite the staring, she continued. "He obviously has a clever and loyal group of friends; they got him out of the room in one night, but does he have a less obvious friend? Don't forget the spell can only be performed by a person of sixteen or over, from outside. Yet every time someone was in there, even if they had no friends and no-one to rescue them, they were rescued, and it started with them. So, keep a close eye on them, and anyone they meet often. Can anyone watch them tonight?"

"I can't, I've got detentions to watch over."

"Okay, you can't Li, what about you two."

"Me and Rud have to…um…we can't do tonight."

Narcissa held her eyes in their normal positions with difficulty. Lucius was not so restrained.

"Guys, we know you are having sex. Stop trying to hide it, we don't mind. Narcissa thought you would be together two years ago."

Within the time it took for this to be registered, Rudolphus managed to go bright red quicker than would have been thought possible. Bellatrix kept her skin whiter, with effort, and was barely blushing at all when Narcissa spoke next.

"So, now we've sorted that out, can we focus? None of us can watch them tonight, how about tomorrow? I'll try, if you like, but someone else might want to be backup. How about you, Bella, you're free on Sundays." Bellatrix assented, and added something about 'cunt stupid bastards who fucking shit up bitching their already crappy reputation and bloody disgrace the frigging name of Black be damned'.

***

A short while after the four descended to their dungeons, an eagle flew down from the rafters of the Owlery, where they had been, and dropped from the window, with an almost human look of concern on its face.

****


	9. 9 Whomping Willow

SOFT SUNLIGHT

Summary: Set in 1973, the Hogwarts' Marauders' third year, this multi-chaptered fiction develops and expands upon the framework of what we are told happens at this part of history… and what we aren't.

Warnings: Adult language, Homosexual relationship, Heterosexual relationship,

Main Pairing: Sirius/Remus

Other Characters: James, Peter, Lily/Severus, Andromeda, Bellatrix/Rudolphus, Lucius/Narcissa.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the twisted imagination and the ridiculously slow laptop I am typing this onto.

A/N: This was my first attempt at writing slash. It isn't amazing, but I am proud of it, and I would appreciate constructive criticism if it is truly helpful and not abusive.

Chapter 9: Whomping Willow, Raging Wolf, Eagle And The Last Paragraph

The Marauders made their way round to the Whomping Willow, only three years old but ferocious all the same. Remus pulled up a nearby stick and it flew neatly towards a knot at the base of the tree, which froze.

"This way, quick."

They squeezed into the tree, and James suggested that two should wait here while Remus and someone else went further in for the full moon to come out, because they were unsure how the werewolf would react to other animals.

"I'm too small, and Prongs is too big." Peter was listened to with much more respect since his outpouring, and thrived on it.

Sirius nodded, and followed Remus silently up the tunnel.

The silence became oppressive.

***

"You should change into a dog."

"Moons, I'm…"

"No."

Sirius held back tears and pointed his wand at his heart. Two minutes later, a red mist descended and Padfoot appeared. Remus checked the skies.

"Moon's almost up."

He watched the dog's tail wag twice in agreement, and sighed. He ought to talk to Sirius, but something kept the barriers up. He should wait. It would be fine… in the end.

A single tear slid down his cheek, but before it could fall he howled, and fell to the ground. The moon was out.

Padfoot watched sadly as his friend, yes Remus _is_ still my friend, went through the painful transformation into a wolf. After about five minutes of agony, a wolf that was barely recognisable as Remus reared up and howled again, then turned to the watching dog.

Padfoot barked, and the werewolf decided he wasn't a threat. The dog bounded down the tunnel, and soon returned with a rat on its back and a stag beside it. They looked at the wolf with hesitation, but eventually all settled down to a companionable silence, broken a few minutes later when a familiar eagle swooped through the tunnel and checked to a halt in the middle of the four. She flew once around the wolf, who calmed down immediately and started a complicated howling that rose and fell like waves in a sea.

***

"The wolf part is concerned about you three, but won't attack because Prongs is too big," she reported, and then added, "and I think it'll be fine with me here, because I've been helping him for a year and he knows me."

Wormtail squeaked questioningly, and Anni turned to explain. "About a year ago, I was flying during the night, and I heard howling so I investigated. Since then, I've been coming most full moons, but I've only ever seen him as a werewolf."

Prongs tossed his head, and Padfoot growled softly; that would account for the look on Remus' face when Anni transformed. The wolf, mistaking this for a threat, started to rear, but Anni wove in front of it, and it started the strange howling again, to which they all listened but only Anni with comprehension.

"He…wants…to be…free…he's tired…of being…up, no, trapped, and he wants…to explore somewhere…and he says…he's…decided…you three…are not a threat," she translated, and the three amazed animals looked at each other, until Padfoot lifted his paw and put it down firmly.

"No, because…he is dangerous?" Padfoot nodded his head violently and almost dislodged Wormtail, who squeaked shrilly and climbed further onto the middle of the dog's back.

"I agree. Possibly with planning we could explore somewhere, but not tonight. Remember he doesn't particularly trust any of you." But Padfoot repeated his action, lifting his paw then placing it down firmly.

"No, not ever?" Warned by what had happened last time, this nod of the head was slowly done, and the rat kept on.

***

The hours passed quickly, despite the lack of things to do. Remus was calmed by their presence, and slept for an hour, the first dreamless sleep he had had for a while. Even Padfoot was happier as the night stretched out, and then ended.

"I'd better leave, everyone in my dorm wakes early." They all agreed, and Anni performed the curious swooping movement again, before leaving the four. Padfoot made signs, and eventually all the Animagi were in agreement. Wormtail scrabbled onto Prongs' back, and the two walked back to the entrance, for two and two would be less conspicuous than all four together.

Padfoot looked at the half asleep werewolf, and sighed, revealing his sadness.

The wolf jumped to his feet and howled, and the dog checked the moon. It was sinking.

He watched sadly as the violent curse took over, and the naked form of Remus Lupin came into sight. He lay there for a long time, not seeming to notice Padfoot, barely seeming to be conscious. Padfoot moved slightly, and he jumped and curled into a ball. Holding them in his mouth in the fashion of dogs, Padfoot brought the clothes and watched as the boy got into them. He was still topless, however, when Padfoot sat up and the now-familiar reddish mist descended over him. Well it wasn't so much _red_ as ochre, thought Remus, pausing in his dressing to admire this.

***

He had forgotten what came next, and was watching as the mist cleared to show Sirius, clothes in shreds.

_Oh…he looks so…lovely._

Remus' mind could not even find words, and he wondered how he could heal the rift between them. He watched as the black haired boy repaired his clothes, and pulled them on. Sirius had picked up his shirt when he heard, barely above a whisper; "Sirius?" He turned to Remus, and anything he was going to say was lost with that.

"I'm…sorry. I…I shouldn't have…I just didn't…I thought…"

"It's okay. It's my fault for asking."

"Why did you ask?" Remus couldn't stop himself, and his cheeks flushed deeply as Sirius stared at him, wondering how to tell him.

"I…I'm gay. I wanted to know…"

"Oh." Relief coursed through Remus. Relief… and disappointment. "I'm bi, if that makes you feel better." _And I love you, but I can't tell you. _At least there's a chance now, he told himself. There's a chance. He therefore failed to notice the change of expression on Sirius' face as he found out.

"There's more. I love…someone…and that's why I got angry. I don't know how to tell them, but I…I…love…" His voice faded again, and he stared helplessly at Remus' exposed chest, debating how to tell him. The brown haired boy realised his top half was bare, and made to finish dressing, but Sirius' hands on his checked him in his actions.

***

"I love you."

Remus' eyes widened in shock, but his hands were released when the other boy turned away.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't be doing this."

The werewolf looked at him, and reaching for his hands again pulled Sirius round to look at him. The dark eyes were filled with tears as the grey ones locked onto them, but instead of a reply, he felt lips brushing his own, tracing the contours.

It was his turn to be shocked, as the boy he loved kissed him, but his shock didn't stop him returning the kiss, gently pushing Remus' lips apart with his tongue. The passion coursing through both of them slowly subsided, and they stayed in each others arms for what seemed like ages, until a shaft of light came through a gap in the roof, falling across them.

They broke apart reluctantly, and pulled on their shirts.

"Prongs took the Cloak, didn't he?"

"Yeah, he said he would."

"Thanks for being there last night, by the way."

His only reply was a gentle kiss on the cheek as they walked back along the tunnel, to emerge into soft sunlight.

**THE**END**


End file.
